Whether you're new to meditation, or whether it's a part of your daily routine, ROOTED beings has a place for you.

The wellness studio located on Manhattan Ave. has been open for just three months but it has a devoted following. Offering meditation classes and special workshops for all levels, ROOTED beings aims to reach anyone who is looking for mindfulness, healing, and restoration.

"Our hope is that ROOTED is a place where people can come to relax and rejuvenate as they explore a deeper connection with self through a meditation practice," said co-founder Erica Galia. "That's why we intentionally designed all our classes to be 30 to 45 minutes in an accessible format for people to experience different meditation techniques to see what resonates for them."

Galia and co-founder Chelsey Scaffidi are friends from Michigan who reconnected upon moving to the South Bay. Both had demanding careers - Galia, in advertising, and Scaffidi, a lawyer - and together decided to create a space where people could take a step back and reconnect in meaningful ways. 

"Everyone can benefit from meditation. It is a form of self-love and self-care to tend to one of
the most important and incredible complex parts of our body, the mind," said Scaffidi. "The idea is to open the meditation door to beginners and non-beginners as they find a meditation practice that is sustainable in their lives."

The studio offers six core classes that support various meditation techniques: The Seed, Plant Yourself, Keep Growing, Remember Your Root, Bend Like A Branch and Light As A Leaf. Workshops include a "Rooted Womens' Circle" and "Rooted Reiki Mama's Circle." Once per month, the studio offers a "healing sound bath" with a certified sound healer and a licensed acupuncturist. 

"There is absolutely no 'right' or 'wrong' way to meditate," said Galia. "The practice is deeply personal, and your experience will never be the same as the person next to you. Every time you practice, your meditation will be unique. Some days you’ll feel alert while others you may drift off. Some meditations will feel deep and profound while others don’t reach that level. All of these experiences are valid and important."

The studio itself is spacious and light-filled with high ceilings and large windows. A variety of cushions and mats are available for participants to make themselves comfortable.

At a recent "healing sound bath," participants made themselves comfortable on cushions and mats while being surrounded by the reverberations of gongs and crystal bowls. An acupuncturist was on hand to offer (optional) acupuncture at strategic relaxation points.

"In meditation, we often think of sitting on the ground cross-legged with a straight spine," said Scaffidi. "This is just one way to practice. You can also lie down, sit in a chair, or lean on a cushion - whatever is comfortable for you."

The studio is focused not just on building community, but also on giving back. The founders have directed a portion of profits from ROOTED beings to support organizations focused on connecting vulnerable populations with access to water. 

ROOTED beings is currently working with an LA-based non-profit, The Thirst Project. The Thirst Project’s mission, in part, is solely directed to eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), a small country in southern Africa that has the single highest–density HIV/AIDS population in the world. Water plays a critical role in treating and managing AIDS as well as alleviating other health related issues.

"The Thirst Project has made a bold commitment to provide access to safe, clean drinking water to all people in the country by 2022 and we want to help make this goal a reality," said Galia. "This fall, we will be traveling with The Thirst Project to eSwatini, using our raised funds from our studio to build a well that will support their clean water initiative. We are very much looking forward to playing our part in solving this important issue."